A new family for one of our kids.

Just a few days before Easter, one of our kid started the foster care period with a new family, the first step towards the formalization of adoption.

As you all know, our main objective is reconciliation with the family of origin.

In some cases, however, this is not possible and so, in agreement with the Family Court, we begin the long road that leads to adoption.

Every human being needs his own roots.
If the natural ones are irretrievably severed, new ones must be built.
In this sense, adoption is a good choice.

Adoption in Africa is a challenge, especially for children accused of witchcraft.

The obstacles to be overcome in the search for family are of two types.
The first, general, concerns a certain culture whereby orphan children are introduced into families not as full members but, rather, as service personnel.

We must not be shocked by this attitude.
In Europe and South America, the habit of taking in very poor or orphaned children, giving them a roof to live under in exchange for housework, was widespread until about fifty years ago.
Many older people can testify.

Obviously, this type of adoption is by no means an option that neither we nor the government consider.
However, it is not easy to investigate the real intentions of the family that proposes itself to adopt.

The process of selection and analysis of candidates for adoptive parents is very long and accurate and involves several experts: we have a duty to bear this witness in favour of the Nigerian authorities because all too often disinformation is in the sense of accusing the institutions of indifference or even connivance with despicable attitudes.

The second difficulty is that they are children accused of witchcraft.

Superstition is widely spread across social classes and often regardless of cultural level.

That is why we invest a lot of effort and resources in the daily work of social awareness, aimed at overcoming superstition.

It took five years to find the foster family for the kid who finally started a new life yesterday.

The small "delivery" ceremony, in the presence of the adoptive parents and the authorities who made the procedure possible, was very moving.

Many, both adults and children, could not hold back the tears, but in the end they were tears of joy because we know that all this is for the best.

The sadness of having to detach us from a person who is part of our big family is alleviated by the promise that the foster family made us, to bring the kid to visit us.

It was an Easter of new beginning and we hope that many more will come, whether it be reconciliation with families of origin or entry into new families.

Thanks to all of you who will support our efforts to give these kids a future.